A total of 27 people were killed and 10 seriously injured in a road accident, when a tour bus carrying Thai tourists crashed in kilometre 15, Simpang Pulai - Cameron Highland Road at 11:40 this morning.
Perak deputy police chief Datuk Zakaria Yusof confirmed 22 people were killed on the spot, 4 died on the way to hospital and another at the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital. The 2 who were killed were locals, the bus driver, known as Omar Shahidan, 48, and Soontorn s/o Kian, 38, a tourist guide (the descendants of Siam Malaysia), while the identity of the assistant bus driver has not yet been identified. 15 of those killed were women and 12 men.
The bus was on its way down from Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur for the group of tourists that were believed to be taking the flight back to Bangkok. Initial investigations revealed that the bus driver has lost control and hit the road divider before the bus skidded into the opposite direction and reversed into the drain.
Police and Fire & Rescue Department received a call at noon and mobilize 100 members in the rescue operation. There are 37 people in a double-decker bus owned by San Holiday Express registration number AFX2266 and was registered in Perak but based in Changloon, Kedah.